,,,,^~~$¤¤                                          ¤¤$~~^,,,,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,
,,,,~~$$¤#                                          #¤$$~~,,,,
,^^~//$%¤¤                                          ¤¤%$//~^^,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,
,,,,~$%¤##             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ##¤%$~,,,,
,^~/$%¤###             the alvar fields             ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%####             %%%##########%%%             ####%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤### from  north   to   south,   thirty   odd ###¤%$/~^,
,,,,,,~$%¤ kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ¤%$~,,,,,,
,,,,^///%¤ thousand meters. from  topsoil to stone, ¤%///^,,,,
,^~/$%¤### a  foot or  two. no roots can fester, no ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%%%¤¤             dust can linger.             ¤¤%%%$/~^,
,^~/$¤####                                          ####¤$/~^,
,^~/$%¤### here is  earth,  clay,  and  sturdy  low ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤### plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤### earth  is bare  in  patches  as large as ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤###               you and me.                ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,
,^~/$%¤### cross it  to  get to the ocean, or don't ###¤%$/~^,
,,,,,,~$¤#          to stay where you are.          #¤$~,,,,,,
,,,^/$$%¤#                                          #¤%$$/^,,,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,
,,,,,~~~$¤                                          ¤$~~~,,,,,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,
,,,,,,^/%¤                                          ¤%/^,,,,,,
,^~/$%¤###                                          ###¤%$/~^,